Russian Lawmakers Denounce EU Parliament's Magnitsky Resolution

Russian lawmakers are denouncing a proposal by the European Parliament that all EU member states impose travel and financial restrictions on Russian officials implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky.

On October 24, Leonid Slutsky, a State Duma deputy and the deputy head of the Russian delegation to the European Parliament, called the proposal a "gross interference in Russia's internal affairs."

Aleksei Pushkov, the head of the Duma's International Affairs Committee said it "aims to divide Europe and Russia."

The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a resolution with the recommendations on October 23.

Magnitsky, a Moscow attorney, was allegedly tortured and beaten to death in custody in 2009 after reportedly uncovering fraud by Russian authorities.